http://www.4thercrd.com/JarkTheSaint/20080310_4thercrd-today-killing-rates-in-vancouver-and-more-killing/ Hyper-current News, Previews, and Urgent Thought on Vancouver and the World Tue, 06 Jan 2009 09:26:43 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.3.1 http://www.4thercrd.com/JarkTheSaint/20080310_4thercrd-today-killing-rates-in-vancouver-and-more-killing/#comment-552 Kamal Arora Fri, 14 Mar 2008 05:47:23 +0000 http://www.4thercrd.com/JarkTheSaint/20080310_4thercrd-today-killing-rates-in-vancouver-and-more-killing/#comment-552 Katie, I totally know where you come from. I used to serve on the board of a local charity called SANSAD which works on issues pertaining to South Asia. My friend and I left after we faced sexual harassment - and not only harassment but also gendering of work - why is it that women are always stuck with administrative tasks like minute-taking, kitchen work, etc? When we handed in our letter of resignation outlining our reasons for leaving, we were threatened with being sued for libel (by someone in the legal field, no less) and were accused of making "a big deal out of nothing." Chalk it up to another example of how women who out men for harassment are accused of being hysterical and crazy - and how men in power try to use their positions in society to further oppress women. I still partake in my own form of community work at times. I guess we all just have to make our own livable boundaries. Katie, I totally know where you come from. I used to serve on the board of a local charity called SANSAD which works on issues pertaining to South Asia. My friend and I left after we faced sexual harassment - and not only harassment but also gendering of work - why is it that women are always stuck with administrative tasks like minute-taking, kitchen work, etc? When we handed in our letter of resignation outlining our reasons for leaving, we were threatened with being sued for libel (by someone in the legal field, no less) and were accused of making “a big deal out of nothing.” Chalk it up to another example of how women who out men for harassment are accused of being hysterical and crazy - and how men in power try to use their positions in society to further oppress women. I still partake in my own form of community work at times. I guess we all just have to make our own livable boundaries.

]]> http://www.4thercrd.com/JarkTheSaint/20080310_4thercrd-today-killing-rates-in-vancouver-and-more-killing/#comment-540 Katie Raso Tue, 11 Mar 2008 20:09:40 +0000 http://www.4thercrd.com/JarkTheSaint/20080310_4thercrd-today-killing-rates-in-vancouver-and-more-killing/#comment-540 I guess I will start this conversation off :) I've been involved in community organizing for most of my life. In 2003, the drain became so bad, that I stopped volunteering for three years. It pains me to want to contribute to positive change in my community, but feel unable to do so because of org politics. So often, community groups are domineered by the toxic politics of one person (or a small group) who claim to have no interest in power, while using passive aggression to control the actions of the organization. It's really sad how this kind of politic fractures the very community it claims to serve. That's my deal. I guess I will start this conversation off
I’ve been involved in community organizing for most of my life.
In 2003, the drain became so bad, that I stopped volunteering for three years. It pains me to want to contribute to positive change in my community, but feel unable to do so because of org politics.
So often, community groups are domineered by the toxic politics of one person (or a small group) who claim to have no interest in power, while using passive aggression to control the actions of the organization.
It’s really sad how this kind of politic fractures the very community it claims to serve.
That’s my deal.

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